Harry Brook’s determined display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground has led to a significant shift in the Test Rankings. The England batsman has advanced three places to secure the second position in the latest ICC rankings. With a total of 59 runs in a low-scoring match, Brook has surpassed several notable players to claim the second spot, trailing only behind Joe Root, who holds the top position with 867 rating points.
England’s fast bowler Joshua Tongue has also seen a rise in the rankings following his exceptional performance in the fourth Test match of the ongoing Ashes series at the MCG. Tongue’s remarkable bowling figures of 5-45 and 2-44 have propelled him 13 places up to the 30th position. Additionally, his teammates Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse have also made progress in the rankings after England’s victory in the fourth Test.
Australia’s batting struggles have impacted their players’ ratings, but their bowlers have shown promise, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland achieving career-best rankings. Starc, now tied at the second spot with Pakistan’s Noman Ali, is closing in on Jasprit Bumrah’s top position, with a narrow gap of 36 rating points between them. Meanwhile, Boland’s impressive performance in the fourth Ashes Test has propelled him to the seventh spot, surpassing the 800 rating mark for the first time in his career.
Despite their defeat in the MCG Test, the Australian cricket team retains the top spot in the World Test Championship standings with 85.71 percentage points. New Zealand and South Africa follow closely in the second and third positions, respectively. As the fifth and final game of the Ashes series approaches on January 4, both Starc and Brook will aim to secure the top positions in their respective categories.
